PURE WOODLAND

With its handsome dark green livery, fabric/rubber-clad frame and fetching cloth handle, the Woodland cuts a cute figure – and this speaker’s trim size and light weight make it one of the more practical portable models we’ve seen.

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approx. ₹18,000 / av-connection.com

Its wide base and grippy feet afford it good, solid purchase on most surfaces; the rugged IP67-rated build means it’s able to withstand a high-pressure soaking for up to 30 minutes – great news if you’re looking for musical accompaniment to your boisterous garden hose sessions; and the 14hr rechargeable battery makes it perfect for straying far from the patio doors.

Now, 10W of amplification may not seem like much, but for its price and portability we think this speaker – with a single 3in driver alongside a passive radiator – serves up a more than acceptable sound. OK, it’s more like a warm hug than an energising electric jolt, and you’ll ideally want to keep your garden disco sessions fairly low-volume to avoid overloading the treble and mids as they attempt to keep up with the bass. Nudge it to too far and they stray over the line marked ‘harshness’, which isn’t something you or your neighbours will enjoy.

But if you do keep those levels sensible, the audio feels tonally natural and pleasant, whether you’re listening to lively, full-bodied music or less demanding voice-based material such as podcasts or audiobooks.